One wall separated two worlds.
Outside the wall was the lush verdant human world of the fifth month.
Inside the wall were charred ruins and broken walls.
Though it was noon—the time when yang energy was strongest—everyone felt a chill rising from the soles of their feet.
Pei Mingting silently edged closer to Yan Sanhe.
Xie Zhifei glanced at him intentionally or unintentionally, thinking: This fellow used to only move toward me, but now with Yan Sanhe…
Scoundrel!
Xie Zhifei called out, “Zhu Qing, Huang Qi, Li Buyan?”
The three named individuals needed no instruction from Third Master. They dispersed and each leaped atop a wall, watching the outside movements.
Yan Sanhe surveyed the area. “Xie Zhifei, are you familiar with the Zheng family’s layout?”
“Somewhat.”
Xie Zhifei pointed. “A large residence with five courtyards in depth, divided into three sections: east, central, and west.”
Yan Sanhe asked, “How many gates in total?”
Xie Zhifei replied, “A main gate, a back gate. Two corner gates beside the main gate, two side gates beside the back gate—six gates total.”
Pei Xiao interjected, “Isn’t there also that little gate we just squeezed through?”
Xie Zhifei stated, “That’s a dog hole.”
Pei Xiao fell silent.
“Xie Zhifei.”
Yan Sanhe said, “We’ll start from the main gate and walk through the east, central, and west sections.”
Pei Xiao frowned. “Such a large residence—it’ll take over an hour to finish walking through!”
Yan Sanhe countered, “Does Lord Pei need to urinate urgently?”
“…”
Lord Pei hadn’t slept all night and was now extremely drowsy, his eyes barely able to stay open.
If not to get closer to you and let you discover my good points, Lord Pei wouldn’t have rushed over so eagerly.
Moreover…
Why does this girl become completely impersonal when investigating cases, unable to spare even a bit of face for her future husband?
“He didn’t sleep well last night, probably feeling drowsy now.”
Lord Xie smiled as he made excuses for Lord Pei. “Mingting, why don’t you find somewhere to rest? I’ll accompany Yan Sanhe on this walk.”
That wouldn’t do at all!
Pei Mingting, sporting two dark circles under his eyes, protested, “It’s fine—I can still hold out.”
Xie Zhifei patted his shoulder. “Then as we walk, I’ll tell you all about the Zheng family’s situation.”
“No need. I’ll ask, you answer.”
This tone of voice…
Third Master Xie found himself rather nostalgic for it.
“The Zheng family head is Old General Zheng Yu, correct?”
“Correct!”
“How many siblings does Zheng Yu have?”
“Zheng Yu has four brothers, all from the same mother. He ranks third.”
Yan Sanhe frowned. “Ranking third yet becoming family head—that’s unreasonable.”
Truly perceptive.
Xie Zhifei explained, “The Zheng family wasn’t a renowned military lineage. When Zheng Yu was young, he was merely a minor captain in the Divine Engine Battalion.”
Yan Sanhe asked, “What does the Divine Engine Battalion do?”
What the Divine Engine Battalion did required starting from the entire court structure of the Hua Kingdom.
The Emperor was the Son of Heaven, who managed a group of civil and military officials to help him govern the entire Hua Kingdom.
Civil officials remonstrated unto death; military officials fought unto death.
Military meant defending the nation.
The Hua Kingdom’s military consisted of the Five Military Governor Offices, the Ministry of War, the Capital Guards, the Capital Garrison, and the Court of the Imperial Stud.
The Five Military Governor Offices trained troops in peacetime and defended the nation in wartime.
The Ministry of War was responsible for troop deployment, issuing orders and requisitions, and grain transport.
The Capital Guards and Capital Garrison—one protected inside the Imperial City, the other guarded outside, maintaining internal and external balance.
The Court of the Imperial Stud was even simpler—it specialized in horse breeding.
The Capital Garrison guarding outside the Imperial City was divided into three major battalions: the Five Army Battalion, the Three Thousand Battalion, and the Divine Engine Battalion.
Under the Divine Engine Battalion were further divisions: Central Army, Left Flank, Right Flank, Left Patrol, and Right Patrol. The Central Army alone had four departments…
In short, one sentence sufficed—
When Zheng Yu was young, he was a military officer in the Divine Engine Battalion, commanding several hundred soldiers. He wasn’t from any prestigious clan, much less a hereditary military family.
“So Zheng Yu rose through his own abilities and military achievements, step by step gaining his later status and reputation, and thus the Zheng family’s rise in the capital?”
Xie Zhifei nodded, confirming she was correct. “Therefore, though he ranks third, everyone in the Zheng family from top to bottom respects him.”
Yan Sanhe pondered, “So did the four Zheng brothers divide the family, or do they all live in this one residence?”
Xie Zhifei replied, “They didn’t divide the family—all live in one residence. Old General Zheng’s branch lives in the east and central sections. The second and fourth brothers live in the west section.”
Yan Sanhe asked, “What about the eldest?”
Xie Zhifei answered, “The eldest Zheng brother contracted dysentery at fourteen and passed away before treatment could help.”
Pei Xiao, sporting bloodshot eyes, stared eerily at Xie Zhifei.
Why did this fellow know so much about everything concerning the Zheng family?
Yan Sanhe continued, “Xie Zhifei, are you familiar with the three branches of the Zheng family’s people?”
Intimately familiar.
“During my years working at the North City Military Justice Bureau, I’ve heard others mention them, and the case files all have records, so I know somewhat.”
“Tell me.”
“When the tragedy occurred, the second branch’s couple had already passed away, leaving two sons behind. Two daughters—one married into Jinling Prefecture, one into Taiyuan Prefecture—neither were in the capital.”
Xie Zhifei continued, “The second Zheng brother never accomplished anything significant in his life. One son managed the Zheng family’s land holdings, another managed their shops. Both listened to Third Uncle, Old General Zheng, in everything.”
Yan Sanhe asked, “And the fourth branch?”
Xie Zhifei replied, “The fourth Zheng brother’s first wife died young. His second wife bore him a daughter who had long since married by the time of the incident.”
Yan Sanhe pressed, “What did the fourth Zheng brother do?”
Xie Zhifei answered, “I heard he just stayed home growing flowers and keeping birds.”
Yan Sanhe concluded, “That leaves Zheng Yu’s branch.”
“This branch was also the most prosperous of the Zheng residence.”
Xie Zhifei explained, “Old General married Lady Liu. Lady Liu bore five sons total.”
Yan Sanhe gasped. “Five sons?”
Pei Xiao exclaimed, “Truly prolific!”
Xie Zhifei glanced at Pei Xiao. “The first pair were twins. Then three more followed.”
Yan Sanhe asked, “What do these five sons do?”
Xie Zhifei replied, “The first four all drew court stipends. The fifth wasn’t favored and stayed home idle.”
Yan Sanhe clarified, “So among the entire Zheng clan, only these four sons from Old General Zheng’s branch held proper positions?”
Xie Zhifei confirmed, “Correct!”
Yan Sanhe continued, “How old is the eldest Zheng grandson?”
Xie Zhifei estimated, “Should be seventeen or eighteen!”
“Good!”
Yan Sanhe stated, “What I need to know next focuses on Old General Zheng and his four sons who held official positions.”
Pei Xiao asked puzzled, “Yan Sanhe, why only ask about them?”
Yan Sanhe explained, “In Old General Zheng’s generation, the General was most accomplished. The second and fourth brothers were wealthy idlers, unlikely to provoke trouble worthy of clan extermination.
“In the next generation, there were seven males total. Four worked outside, two managed family affairs, one stayed idle.
“The latter three were also unlikely culprits.
“Going further down, the grandson generation were all still studying—the eldest not yet twenty, their knowledge and exposure quite limited.”
Pei Xiao clapped. “I understand—you’re eliminating the impossible first, then focusing investigation on those few.”
Yan Sanhe looked at him. “Lord Pei is clever!”